


Footprints

by justanoutlaw



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24869947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanoutlaw/pseuds/justanoutlaw
Summary: Henry takes Lucy to visit her grandfather’s grave.
Relationships: Baelfire | Neal Cassidy & Henry Mills
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	Footprints

**Author's Note:**

> A late Father’s Day one shot I’ve wanted to write for awhile.

There’s a few must dos when Henry visits Storybrooke. A trip to his grandparents’ farm for good hugs and nice animals. Lunch at Granny’s for his first burger in Heaven knows how long. He even heads by his childhood home, despite knowing its empty, just to see if it’s changed. It hasn’t of course. The white paint remains unchipped. The lawn is pristine. His grandparents take care of it in Regina’s absence, ready for whenever they’re ready to come home.

Home. It’s such a funny word.

Storybrooke is his hometown. It’s where he was raised. It’s where he grew the most. But he also feels a pull to the forest, where he’s built a cottage for his girls. Where he has friends.

His heart is in two places, for several reasons.

One of which resides in the cemetery.

Ella stays with his mothers and grandparents when he takes Lucy on the journey. They’ve been there before. It was a quiet meeting, no words had to be said. Now that Lucy is 2, however, he wants to introduce her to this person alone.

The grave sits alone, under a big oak tree. He still remembers standing with an intimate crowd, each shoveling some dirt to say goodbye. He didn’t know his dad then, he wouldn’t have memories of him for a few weeks. He got to come back for a proper goodbye afterwards but it wasn’t the same. It’s not like he got to see his dad again.

Neal Cassidy. Beloved Father & Son.

His life summed up in two lines. In the end, nothing would ever be enough. He never had enough with him.

Henry settles Lucy onto the ground and kneels beside her. “Lucy, this is your Papa Neal,” he says, softly. Lucy’s pudgy hand reaches down for some grass.

“Paw-paw,” she repeats.

Henry nods. “That’s right. If not for him, I might not have met your mommy.” Lucy looks up at her mom’s name and Henry softly smiles, stroking her raven black hair which just barely curls at the edges. One day, it’ll be as thick as Ella’s.

“Mama.”

“Mama’s with Abuela, Nana, Grandpa and Mimi,” he explains. 

Lucy starts babbling, pulling more at the grass. Henry watches as it stains her white t-shirt. He can’t be bothered to care.

“Dad,” he says, looking at the marble slab. “This, is Lucy.”

“Lu-cee.”

“Good girl,” Henry praises, kissing her cheek, waiting for her to get distracted again. “Lucia Cecelia Mills. Cecelia was Ella’s mom’s name. Lucia…well, I was so convinced she was going to be a boy. That we’d name him Baelfire after you. After all, Stiltskin men seem to only have boys.”

He chuckles, remembering how little that mattered once Lucy was born. As soon as the midwife called that it was a girl, his heart melted. Regina had reminded him while his grandfather’s lineage created boys, her own only made girls. He is a Mills too after all.

“So, Ella suggested Lucia. It means light, just like the fire in your name.” He tears up, just as he did when his wife suggested it. He was so touched that his wife was willing to name their daughter after his father and had insisted they include Cecelia for her mother. “She looks just like Ella, dark hair, those beautiful brown eyes. But she collects things. Acorns, pebbles, twigs, she fills her pockets with ‘em. And I know she gets that from us.”

At that moment, Lucy sticks a few pieces of grass into Henry’s pocket. He pats it, to let her know they’ll be safe until later.

“I knew I wanted kids, but I was scared,” Henry admits to his dad, wherever he is. “I barely had one. You were there, and then before I really got to know you….” He clenches his eyes shut, trying not to think of those painful memories. “I worry so much about missing out on life with her.” He opens his eyes again and looks at his little girl, who’s now trying to take off her shoes. “I don’t want to leave her. I don’t want to end up like us, like you and Grandpa.”

He lets out a shaky breath.

“But I also know that you died for me, to save me and this town. I used to be so angry about it, I would trade the town for you. Trade magic for you. But now I get it.” He gives a watery smile in Lucy’s direction. “I’d do anything for that little girl. I’d cross any fire, take on any curse.” He sighs. “I’m still…scared. There’s a prophecy. We took care of the witch that told it, but that doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods. Something could happen, we could be separated again.”

Out of protectiveness, he pulls Lucy onto his lap. She starts playing with his jacket, moving the zipper up and down.

“But I’ll do anything to keep her safe, because that’s what a father does. That’s what you did for me,” he whispers. “Mom once said you wanted me to know you were a good dad…and I do. I’ve always known. You’re a hero.”

He looks down at Lucy, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“Say bye to Papa.”

“Bye bye, Paw-Paw!”


End file.
